Observations V

- Gourmetten is a barbeque meal that families have on occasions. They lay out a small barbeque grill in the center of the table and people grill meat and vegetables on it. It's like Korean bbq. They use all different kinds of meat like chicken, hamburger, sausages and usually for vegetables, they use onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper. It's for special occasions.

- For birthdays and housewarmings and I'm sure other events, everyone sits in a circle and talks rather than walking around and mingling like they do at house parties in the US.

- For birthdays, people say "Gefeliciteerd" or congratulations to each other.

- People used to greet each other and still do sometimes with three kisses on the cheek, but because of Covid they kind of stopped doing it and do handshakes. Some do it, some don't.

- I think in general, Dutch people are friendly, but people don't go out of their way to start a conversation especially with strangers.

- Dutch people love their schedules. My host mom had a birthday party with her friends and at the party, they were planning when to see each other next. They all pulled out their schedules on their phones and decided to meet in August. It was May and they already decided an "appointment" for August.

- They eat fries with so many different sauces. Peanut satte sauce, cocktail sauce, mayo, truffle, bbq, chili, and so many others that I can't remember.

- The toilets are separated from the bathroom. Two different rooms.

- Trash cans are tiny. People separate their trash, compost, plastic, paper, and glass.

- You can deposit your plastic bottles for money at the grocery stores.

- Dutch people are pretty critical and almost always have something to comment on. They rarely hold their tongue.

- Coin carts. In order to retrieve a grocery cart, you put a coin in your cart and then it's locked in until you put it back so people don't steal them.

- Lots of self-checkout, lots of apple pay.

- For the most part, parents let their kids sleep over at their partner's houses.